In the Eyes of the Tiger(oneshot)
by Graffiti on the Wall
Summary: This is a what if scenario. Like, what if Firestar didn't initially kill Tigerstar the second time, and Tigerstar still existed in the Dark Forest. RATED T FOR VIOLENCE


A cold breeze ruffled his thick, dark pelt. He padded through the endless plains, hissing as his paw snagged on a thorn. As he sat down, he found himself wondering why he had done what he had done. Of course, he deserved it all; he had murdered Brindleface, had gotten Stonefur killed, had injured Cinderpelt, had been so close to murdering Ravenpaw and his pathetic friends. He growled att he thought of Firestar, the sorry excuse for a cat.

Tigerstar snarled as he thought uselessly of how he could've killed that cat. He had been so close to putting an end to his life. But, alas, it wasn't meant to be. Scourge had killed him with a single flick of his tiny paw, of his sharp, reinforced claws. A growl rumbled in the dark former leader's throat. Forced to wander the dark forest, to mourn for his forgotten life, to stand in solitude . . .

A bush to his right rustled; out stepped Brokenstar, dark yellow orbs glowing cruelly in the dark light. The sun never shone in the dark forest; _it was too good for us, _thought Tigerstar sourly, spitting on the ground. He lashed his tail angrily as Brokenstar began speaking.

"What's on your mind?" Brokenstar asked that as if it wasn't obvious. Tigerstar felt his pelt bristle in anger. How dare Brokenstar ask that?

"Nothing," griped Tigestar angrily. He whipped around and began running in the opposite direction. Soft noises betrayed his pursuer. He kept bounding away until he reached the cliff, at which he felt panic surge through him. _I wouldn't die if I jumped. Nothing would happen, except it would be a very rude awakening. _He made up his mind. With that, he crouched down, and leaped.

The first feeling was an instant foreboding. The cool air rushing to meet his body, the thought of falling itself. He swallowed. The water below rapidly approached. Tigerstar heard Brokenstar's faint voice calling his name. He just closed his eyes as he broke the water's surface.

Icy claws gripped him. He gasped as the water carried him toward the waterfall. He scrabbled frantically at the bottom of the rushing river, but he couldn't get a hold. He knew that he would fall over that waterfall, and he wouldn't find his way back up. He spat angrily. the roaring water was so loud that he didn't hear the noise of a body slipping into the frigid water.

Teeth latched onto his scruff. Tigerstar flailed against the vice-like grip. He wrenched his neck around to see Brokenstar pulling him towards the shore, where Mapleshade, Hawkfrost, Clawface, and Thistleclaw waited. Had the conditions been different, he would've wailed aloud at the sight of their displeased faces. But at the moment, he didn't care. As soon as his paws met dry land, he whipped around and grasped Brokenstar's leg in his fangs.

The older tom gasped and clawed at Tigerstar's already scarred face, causing blood to drip from the wounds. Tigerstar snarled and raked his claws down the leader's pelt before a voice thundered over their skirmish. "ENOUGH!" snarled Mapleshade, slashing both their noses. Tigerstar shook his fur out and hissed at their stupidity. Mapleshade spat at the ground. "You should be ashamed. Dark forest cats, fighting like nursery kits!" She trembled with pure ire.

"If I didn't know better," she chided, "I would say that you were StarClan fools!" This caused waves of anger to course through Tigerstar. He leaped again at Mapleshade, who nimbly stepped out of the way. Tigerstar's head slammed into the rock. With that, he was out like a light.

"He's a fool," spat Mapleshade as the younger tom fell unconscious. "Picking unneeded fights . . ." Her pelt heated up in anger. "Leave 'im here. Let him find his own way up." With that, she began climbing.

The remaining toms glanced at each other, before following her up from the canyon.

When Tigerstar awakened, a sudden pain shot up his spine, and he whimpered quietly. He struggled to stand, but numbness dragged him down. He peered around. Instead of the frigid, dark surroundings of the Dark Forest, he was met by a warm sun beating down on him, and stars glittering on the nearby objects. He was in StarClan. He shivered instinctively.

In front of him stood all the cats that he had ever pained. Cinderpelt, looking angrily up at him; Bluestar, her frigid, piercing eyes not meeting his; Brindleface, lashing her long tail; Stonefur, his scars proving his worth; and Firestar, his dark ginger pelt glittering with stars.

Tigerstar found the ability to stand. He flinched as Stonefur growled warningly, and ducked back down, shuddering as claws met his scruff. "You're a miserable excuse for a cat, Tigerstar," Bluestar coldly stated, coolness latching onto her hate-filled words.

"Calm down, Bluestar," murmured Cinderpelt, icy blue eyes glaring at the leader testily. Bluestar started, but then gave a nod and stepped back wistfully. "Tigerstar, why have you pained us so?" she questioned.

The cruel leader said nothing, thinking his answer through. "I'm evil," he responded simply, as if it was the easiest thing in the world, if you weren't mouse-brained. You could just see the anger burning in Bluestar's gaze as she pushed her head toward his.

"You're nothing more than common dung, Tigerstar. You were so close, and yet you failed at the paws of a cat with only one life!" The anger was presented through those words. "You have not yet been punished completely. We're here to give you the full extent to your punishment." With that, she leaped toward him.

Caught off-guard, he stumbled backwards. Claws seized his haunches and shoved him toward Firestar. The wretched tom smirked and slashed Tigerstar's forehead with long claws. Tigerstar backed up just as Brindleface leaped onto his back. He felt her claws rake across his eyelids. Instantly, he couldn't see.

The blinded tom gasped in panic, unable to see his competitors now that they had done that to his eyes. He deserved it though.

Somecat slashed his side, and he collapsed, panting in tiredness. He felt true pain for the first time in his life. "You're leaving the Dark Forest the same way you entered it," snarled Firestar. Five sets of claws slashed his belly. "And, we managed to find Scourge in some purgatory," purred the former leader. And then, Tigerstar felt his life leak out into the claws of his second murderer.

"You deserve the Dark Forest," rasped Tigerstar quietly. He heard cackles.

"For killing a horrid cat? I don't think so," Cinderpelt mewed. That was the last thing Tigerstar heard.


End file.
